Barcelona‘s season has been challenging for all involved.
The Blaugrana have had moments of optimism soured by sudden negative turns and seem unable to cement the consistency that’s the hallmark of all great teams.
This instability has led many to find ways of categorising the season to make it more palatable.
Some see it as transitional, where nothing should be expected. Some think a good run could turn them into title challengers. Others think that this season should be sacrificed with the integration of the future generation prioritised.
Ronald Koeman is said to between the second and third group according to Diario Sport.
He believes that when the season enters the final stretch Barcelona will be competitive, but that there’s also space to blood youth that warrant it.
This has been evidenced in the trust he’s placed in Ansu Fati, Pedri, Ronald Araujo, Sergino Dest and Oscar Mingueza.
The Dutchman is not, however, willing to throw in the towel on Barcelona’s prospects for silverware this season and he’s made that clear to his players with a direct message to be spread in the changing room.
There’s 15 points to play for between now and the Spanish Super Cup in January and if Barcelona can come out of this period smelling like roses their prospects for the rest of the season will be transformed.
There’s a feeling within Camp Nou that, despite their issues, they’re better than their position in La Liga suggests but they need to begin to prove that on the pitch.
Their first fixture in this pre-Super Cup run sees them travel to Real Valladolid this evening, a game far from the comfortable surroundings of Catalonia. It’s the first of a run of five games in less than 20 days.
Barcelona still have time to run around the ship. They, and Koeman, just have no more time to waste.
In the current financial situation, barca has no choice but to rely on new players. There are some questions, as there are hopes. I think the coach is showing innovation and hope more for positivity.